‘He's a winner’ | How Ashton Schultz navigated a trade to a USHL Clark Cup contender

Ashton Schultz was getting dressed for practice at Fox Valley Ice Arena when Chicago Steel (USHL) general manager Tyler Haskins pulled the Buffalo Sabres’ 2025 sixth-round pick aside.  

Schultz waited another 20 minutes until Haskins notified him he had been traded to the Sioux City Musketeers. It was a familiar feeling for Schultz, who had been traded to Chicago from the Sioux Falls Stampede one game into his first full USHL season in 2024-25. Except this time, Schutlz will have a chance to chase a Clark Cup amid a strong final junior hockey season with a flurry of familiar faces.  

“Last year it was the beginning of the year, so you're still going to a fresh team, but now this late to the season, you're joining a group that's been together for seven months already,” Schultz said. “Having that experience in the first place really helped just going in and being myself, don't change who I am, just add on to what they’ve got going already. And I think that's been super helpful for me.” 

Schultz – who was an alternate captain with Chicago at the time – requested a trade a month prior to the Feb. 12 deal, which saw the Musketeers ship off Dallas Vieau and four draft picks to the Steel.  

The Excelsior, Minn., product packed his hockey bag and belongings from his billet family’s house in Chicago before driving the nearly eight hours from the windy city to Sioux City, Iowa. The day Schultz arrived, the entirety of his team was at his new billet home ready to embrace their new teammate.  

His transition to Sioux City was made easier by reuniting with Minnetonka High School teammates and twins Gavin and Luke Garry. The trio won a Minnesota state championship together in 2023, a game where Schultz scored the winner with less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period.  

Schultz’s time at Minnetonka is what propelled him onto Sioux City’s radar for the first time when general manager Sean Clark was scouting former Musketeer Hagen Burrows. When the seventh-place Steel made it known they were on the market to sell, the Musketeers saw Schultz as a necessity. 

“He'd been on our radar for a long time,” coach Jason Kersner said. "As Chicago was making some decisions to sell off some pieces this year as they look ahead to the future, he was by far the most intriguing name for us to try to get over here. It was a big deal that our general manager was able to swing to get him here, but we couldn't be more excited.” 

Schultz played in his first game with the third-place Musketeers two days after being traded and has logged four games with Sioux City as the first-line right winger, a wrinkle from his usual position at center. Schultz has also been featured on the power play and already has five points in four games since joining his new team.

The forward brings a winning pedigree to Sioux City, having also won a gold medal at the 2025 World Junior A Challenge back in December with Team USA. Schultz was selected to be on that squad, comprised of the USHL’s top players, and had three goals and six points in five games.

Kersner called Schultz a “rink rat” and a player who’s been heavily involved in film sessions by asking questions. His intentionality and willingness to develop as a player has impressed Kersner, who raved about Schultz’s hockey IQ, puck distribution and vision. The coach said Schultz’s 200-foot skillset and character off the ice have already helped elevate the group.  

“He's a winner,” Kersner said. “He's been around it back to his high school days and at the World Challenge. He's been part of leadership groups at those various levels. ... It was probably one of the more difficult trades I'd ever been a part of, just in the sense of how ingrained the player going out the door was in terms of the chemistry and the fabric of our team, and the only reason why we felt comfortable doing it was because of Ashton and those things. 

“Truthfully, I'm not sure we would have made that level of trade for any other player in the league. Those intangibles and who he is, as much of how good as a player he is, is why we felt comfortable making the move.” 

Schultz’s offensive instincts have amounted to 27 points in 36 games between the Steel and Musketeers. And one of the first things he did once getting to Sioux City was learning the new defensive zone coverages and the overall system, which differed from Chicago’s. That was a seamless transition, Kersner said, because defense has long been a part of Schultz’s game. 

Schultz is committed to University of North Dakota – a place he admittingly said he’s never seen a home game – and strives to become an even better defensive player, knowing the toughness and skill of teams North Dakota faces in the NCHC.  

“That's been a big thing for me these past two years, coming from high school to the USHL: everybody's good. There's not a bad player on the ice,” Schultz said. “Having that 200-foot game, especially playing center most of the time, you’ve got to have that. I think this year, it's been another focus of mine to keep adding on to the defensive side, especially going into college next year. NCHC is tough, so you’ve got to be ready to defend against all the bigger and older, faster, stronger guys.” 

Schultz’s maturity and commitment to grow his game have blended with his competitiveness – something that stood out to Kersner during their first phone call. Winning a gold medal with Team USA gave Schultz another taste of success, and he noted that winning a Clark Cup with Sioux City is next. 

“You don't really know until you get into the weeds and get in the fire with a guy, but I've just been so impressed by those little details and how he goes about impacting winning,” Kersner said. “What I've learned in just a week and a half, a short time with him, is if he's not scoring, he's going to help us win anyways because of how he plays the game. ... He's a perfect fit for us. He's done a great job. We love having him and look forward to his continued contributions as we try to make a push here.”

Prospect Spotlight  

Matous Kucharcik, F – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) 

Amid a successful first season in North America, Kucharcik announced his commitment to Miami University (Ohio) on Feb. 18.  

The 2025 fourth-round pick has been out since Jan. 10 but has 15 points in 34 games with Youngstown, which has the best record in the USHL at 35-11-4 (74 points).

Samuel Meloche, G – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) 

Meloche has been a workhorse for Rouyn-Noranda this season, playing in 42 of 54 games. 

The Quebec product was taken 13 picks after Kucharcik in the fourthround of the 2025 NHL Draft and has a 2.85 goals-against average, which is eighth among goaltenders who’ve played a minimum of 25 games.  

Meloche is tied for the second-most wins (27) of any goaltender in the QMJHL this season and has powered the Huskies into third in the Western Conference.

Brodie Ziemer, F – University of Minnesota (NCAA) 

Ziemer continues to be one of the best goal scorers in the country, as the Sabres’ 2024 third-round selection has 22 goals, including two in an upset win over No. 2 Michigan. That mark is tied for first in the Big Ten and second nationally.  

Ziemer is also tied for the NCAA lead with 11 power-play goals and leads the Golden Gophers with 34 points in 32 games. 

The former captain for Team USA at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship is the only Minnesota player at a point per game and is sixth in the country with 124 shots on goal.